1991 - Northern Iraq: Engineer and Team Leader, Department for International Development

Working closely with Allied military personnel, teams of British firemen, aid workers and Kurdish refugees, Rupert project managed the effective logistics and establishment of adequate water and sanitation to refugees. This was an emergency assignment to Northern Iraq, in the Kurdish region, after Gulf War 1 ended, and it was arduous, living on the side of mountain.

Under the terms of ‘Operation Haven’ he was deployed as a civilian engineer, on attachment to 42 Royal Marine Commando. He led teams of UK emergency aid workers, including medics, firemen and emergency NGOs, to create emergency water and sanitation facilities for over 100,000 refugees. He also organised emergency health projects.